Electrode



Patented `Iuly 15, 1924' UNITED .sTTEs PATENT 'HENRY L. WARCD, iOF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR T WESTERN' ELECTRIC :COM- i 'PANY, INCO-RPORATED, OF NEW YORK, 'NJ Y., A' CQRPORATION'OIF NEW-YORK."

ELECTRQDE.

|Application filed July 1,

-Taall whom it may czmcem.: i Be it known 'that I, HENRY L. Diem citi- -zen of the-United States, residing vat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful 'Improvements in Electrodes, of'fwhich the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact w description.

This invention relates to improvements in jelectrodes and more particularly to'elec- .trodes of the type used as cathodes and 'anodes in electrolytic apparatus.

The object of the invention is to provide an electrode with a mounting which reduces i to a. mlnimum ,the tendency toward a high `metal of low electrical resistance since such metals are relatively expensive.

In the accomplislnnent of these objects the present invention consists in providing the mountingof an electrode with an insert or inserts of a metal which has a lower electrical resistance and is less corrosive than the metal constituting the'mounting.

Electrodes made in accordance with this invention may be used to advantage in the lelectrolytic refining of iron but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such use but may be einployed in connecton with any electrolytic apparatus. IVlien Velectrodes used in the electrolytic refining of iron are made in accordance with the present invention the mounting may be made of steel to which is secured a steel plate constituting the anode or cathode. The mounting is preferably provided with a fiat under-surface carrying adjacent one end an insert or inserts of copper or other suitable material of low electrical resistance. These inserts are preferably in the form of rivets or dowels secured in the moui'iting and projecting a short distance below the fiat. surface thereof. In assembling the electrodesin the electrolytic apparatus the mountings are so positioned that one end rests upon wood 01' other suitable insulating material, and the copper inserts carried by 1922. seriarnah 572,181.

the other end rest upon the 'bus bar .or 'other o a fle'ims'-V Referrmg now to ;the drawings which ile' source 'eleclustrate one embodiment dfjthe inVentionL Fig. 1 is aV fragmentary, prospective View partly in section, ining apparatus' electrodes utilized cordance withthe showing an' electrolytic'ra used in i'efinin'g lironthe therein beingmade in1acpresent irnlentio'n;V W

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmenta'ry, verti'- cal sectional, vdetailed serts in the mounting.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 5 represents a tank containingia' 'suitable electrolyte. Supported on the two opposite upper edges of the tankare strips-6 and 7 of wood which inturn support copper strips 8 and 9 respectively. The copper strips 8 and. 9 are suitably connected with the opposite poles of a source of current (not'f's'hown), the said strips constituting bus ba'rsfas is readily understood. i

The improved cathode electrode 'comprises view showing fthe'ina lbar 10, which may be constituted of steel and when the electrode is tobe used in the electrolytic r'efining of iron, the plate 11 which is suitably attached to bar 10`nay be made of steel also. Instead of making the bar 10 and plate 11 as separate elements they may be cast together as an anode elec` trode to form a plate 12 with integral lugs 13. Various other forms of mountings and plates may be employed, however, without departing from the spirit and sicope of the present invention. It is preferable that the bar or lugs constituting the mounting be provided with a flat undersurface to provide a better supportfor theelectrodes when they are mounted in the electrolytic apparatus.

In order to provide a contact of low electrical resistance, the bar 10 and lugs 13' are provided with a copper insert 14 toengage the adjacent bus bar. .The insert 14 maybe attached to the 'mounting in any' suitable manner as by means of rivetiing, doweling, etc. It is preferable that the insert be given a shape which will provide point contact befsistance is very mountings and bus bars u i alternate wetting and drying experienced in Vhen, however, copper Vferrous metal mountings,

bar in order to reduce contact to a V trode Very expensive inserts may be utilized such as gold, platinum, etc., which have exceedingly low electrical resistance without making the cost of the electrode prohibitive.

Tests have shown that when ferrous metal A mountings for eleetrodes are placed in contact with copper bus bars, the contact rehigh, especially when the are subyected to 'the operation of electrolytic apparatus, Ieausing rapid oxidization of the mounting. contact members provided in the the contact resistance between the contact member and the bus bar is very low, due to the inherent low electrical resistance of the copper insert, its. ,point contact with the bus bar, and its less corrosive and oxidizing properties in the presence of alternatewetting and dryinc;

havingpointed ends are o incident to electrolytic apparatus,

That is claimed is:

1. An electrode for use 'in electrolytic paratus, comprising a body portion and mounting, and a contact member carried by said mounting, said contact member having an electrical resistance lower than that of said mounting.

till

2. An electro le for use in electrolytic apparatus, comprising a body portion and a inounting secured tliereto, and a contact member carried by said mounting, said contact member having electrical resistance lower than that of said mounting.

3. An electrode for use in electrolytic apparatus comprising a body portion, a mounting attached thereto, and a contact member carried by said mounting said contact nienaber being of lower electrical resistance than the mounting.

An electrode for use in electrolytic apparatus coinprising a body portion, a mounting secured thereto and proyecting at opposite sides thereof, a contact member carried by one of the projecting portions of said mounting, said contact member having an ioneee electrical resistance lower than that of the mountino'.

5. An electrode for use in electrolytic apparatus comprising a body portion, a metallic mounting secured thereto, and a metallic contact member carried by said mounting, said contact member formed of a. metal of lower electrical resistivity than that of the mounting.

6. An electrode comprising a body portion and a mounting, said mounting provided with means for making a point contact between the mounting and a bus bar.

'7. An electrode for use vin electrolytic apparatus, comprising a body portion and a mounting, and a contact member carried by said inounting and of such shape as to afford a pointcontact with the bus bar.

8. An electrode for use in electrolyticapparatus, comprising' a metallic body portion and a met-allic mounting, and a metallic contact member carried by said mounting, said contact member being less corrosive than the mounting.

9. An electrode for use in electrolytic apparatus, comprising a body portion and. a ferrous metal mounting, and a copper contact member carried by said mounting.

10. An electrode for use in electrolytic apparatus, comprising a body portion and a mounting, and a dowel secured in said mounting to constitute a contact member, said dowel being forined of a metal having an electrical .resistance lower than that of the mounting.

11. An electrode for use in electrolytic apparatus, comprising a body portion and a ferrous metal mounting, and a copper dowel secured to said mounting to constitute a contact member, the exposed end of said dowel being pointed.

12. An electrode comprising a body portion and a mounting means for cooperating with a supporting means, and means associated with one of said cooperatingmeans for making a point contact therebetween.

13. An electrode comprising a body portion and a mounting for cooperating With a bus bar, and means interposed between said mounting and bus bar for making a point contact therebetween.

. 14s. An electrode comprising a body portion and a mounting for cooperating with a bus bar, and means associated With said mounting and bus bar having an electrical resistance lower than that of said mounting for making a point contact between the mounting and bus bar. v

In witness whereof, I hereunto Subscribe my name this 22ml day of June A. D.. 1922.

HENRY'L. lWARD. 

